Cricket

Virat Kohli, the former Indian skipper and one of the most prolific batsmen in the world, is gearing up for the upcoming 2024 T20 World Cup. In a recent interview, Kohli shared his thoughts on his journey leading up to the tournament and reflected on his emotions prior to his World Cup debut against Bangladesh in 2011.Kohli's debut performance was nothing short of spectacular. He formed a formidable 203-run partnership with Virender Sehwag, becoming the first and only Indian player to achieve a century in their World Cup debut match. His unbeaten 100 runs off 83 deliveries propelled Team India to a total of 370, ultimately securing an impressive 87-run victory."It was against Bangladesh in Dhaka, my first game and I was nervous. Yes, I will not lie. There is a different sense of excitement in the air when you come for a World Cup and I could obviously sense that. I was the youngest member of that team and I was getting to play with all these greats of Indian cricket in a World Cup game," Kohli said on Star Sports."For me it was definitely a moment where I was a bit nervous heading into the game and definitely the night before I was quite nervous but that is a good sign as well because your body is preparing you to enter a situation where you're alert, you're not taking things for granted. I think that nervousness helped me to be aware, be alert and be absolutely precise in the execution of my plans," he added.Kohli has been one of the best batsmen in all formats but his T20 World Cup exploits are second to none. He is the leading run scorer in the history of the tournament having scored 1141 runs in 25 innings taking his average to be an unbelievable 81.50.India will face Bangladesh in a warm-up game on June 1 as a part of their preparation in the T20 World Cup set to be held in the USA and West Indies.

Group D Preview: South Africa, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Netherlands, NepalAs the countdown to the 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup continues, Group D promises to be a fascinating battleground. Here's a closer look at the teams involved:South Africa:South Africa's T20 World Cup squad has been bolstered by the return of key players like Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, and David Miller. However, concerns remain over the form of Quinton de Kock and Anrich Nortje. Tristan Stubbs, a specialist finisher, is a player to watch.Sri Lanka:Sri Lanka has won all three of its T20I series this year, albeit against weaker teams. Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana are two quality spinners who could exploit slow pitches in the West Indies. The team will hope for a quick recovery from Matheesha Pathirana's hamstring strain.Bangladesh:Bangladesh suffered a setback in their T20I series against the United States. Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto and coach Chandika Hathurusinghe rely on the same set of players to deliver in this mega event. The team lacks power-hitters, which could be a disadvantage.Netherlands:Netherlands earned its spot in the tournament by finishing in the top-eight of the 2022 ICC Men's T20 World Cup. The team will miss Roelof van der Merwe and Colin Ackermann, but Max O'Dowd is a standout batter.Nepal:Nepal qualified for the 2024 T20 WC by reaching the final of the ICC's Asia region qualifiers. Captain Rohit Paudel has shown his class in recent matches against West Indies A.Key Players:* Tristan Stubbs (South Africa)* Kusal Mendis (Sri Lanka)* Mustafizur Rahman (Bangladesh)* Max O'Dowd (Netherlands)* Rohit Paudel (Nepal)

Bangladesh's T20 World Cup preparations suffered a setback as their warm-up match against the United States in Dallas was canceled due to severe thunderstorms. The inclement weather caused flooding and damage to the Grand Prairie Stadium, rendering it unplayable."The conditions of the facilities following the adverse weather have forced us to cancel the match," said Bangladesh team manager Rabeed Iman. "We are disappointed, as this was a crucial opportunity to acclimatize to the venue."The cancellation leaves both teams without any warm-up matches ahead of the tournament. USA, who will host the tournament opener against Canada on June 1, will be particularly affected as they have never played a T20 World Cup match before.Bangladesh, who play their first game against Sri Lanka on June 7, will also be concerned about the lack of match practice. They have never won more than two matches in a T20 World Cup and will be hoping to improve on that record in the United States.The cancellation of the warm-up match adds to the pressure on Bangladesh, who were recently defeated 2-1 by the United States in a T20I series in Houston. The shock defeat raised questions about Bangladesh's form and ability to compete at the highest level.Bangladesh are in Group D of the T20 World Cup, alongside Sri Lanka, South Africa, Nepal, and the Netherlands. They will need to perform well in the group stage to reach the Super 12s, where the top two teams from each group will advance.The United States, meanwhile, are in Group A of the tournament, alongside Canada, India, Pakistan, and Ireland. They will be hoping to make a strong impression in their first T20 World Cup and will be confident of causing an upset or two.

Virat Kohli, the former captain of the Indian cricket team, is set to rejoin his teammates ahead of the T20 World Cup 2024 warm-up game against Bangladesh. Kohli had taken a break from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to spend time with his family.Kohli's return to the team comes as a relief to the Indian management, who were concerned about his availability for the warm-up clash. However, it has now been reported that Kohli will be ready for the practice game."He will reach New York before the warm-up vs Bangladesh on June 1. Whether he plays or not in the warm-up will be management's call - whether they feel there is enough gap between him landing and the warm-up fixture," a source was quoted as saying by News 18.The likes of Rohit Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja, Suryakumar Yadav, and Rishabh Pant have already reached New York. The second batch of players, including stars left on Monday morning while a few others like Sanju Samson, Yuzvendra Chahal, Avesh Khan, and Yashasvi Jaiswal will be joining the squad soon.India's T20 World Cup campaign begins on June 5 against Ireland at the newly constructed Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York. India versus Pakistan clash will take place on June 9. They will later play tournament co-hosts USA (June 12) and Canada (June 15) to wrap up their Group A matches.In the tournament, India will be aiming to end their ICC trophy drought, having last won the ICC Champions Trophy in 2013. Since then, India has reached the 50-over World Cup final in 2023, semifinal in 2015 and 2019, the title clash of the ICC World Test Championship in 2021 and 2023, T20 WC final in 2014, semifinals in 2016 and 2022 but failed to secure a big ICC trophy.India will be aiming to win their first T20 WC title ever since they won the inaugural edition of the tournament back in 2007 in South Africa. In the last edition held in Australia in 2022, India lost to England by 10 wickets in the semifinals.

Bangladesh salvaged some pride by defeating the United States by 10 wickets in the final match of their three-game T20I series in Houston on Saturday. The victory came after the Americans had surprised their higher-ranked opponents by winning the first two games.Mustafizur Rahman was the star for Bangladesh, taking a career-best 6-10 as the USA were restricted to a mere 104-9 in their 20 overs. The visitors then chased down the target in just 11.4 overs without losing a wicket.The American innings started well with Shayan Jahangir and Andries Gous putting on 46 runs before Gous was caught by Soumya Sarkar off Shakib Al Hasan's bowling. Jahingir followed soon after, caught by Tanzim Hasan Sakib while attempting to pull a delivery from Mustafizur.The hosts struggled to maintain their momentum, scoring only 14 runs while losing three more wickets. Mustafizur, bowling his second spell at the death, finished with his career-best T20I figures of 6-10.Bangladesh's chase was comfortable, with Tanzid Hasan scoring 58 off 42 balls and Soumya contributing 43 off 28 deliveries. The American bowlers failed to exert any significant pressure on the Bangladeshi batsmen.Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto expressed satisfaction with his team's response to the two previous losses. "I think the boys showed a lot of character today. I think the plan we made before this match, everyone executed," he said.He acknowledged the disappointment of losing the series but emphasized the importance of finishing on a positive note and gaining valuable experience ahead of the World Cup.USA vice-captain Aaron Jones attributed the loss to poor shot selection by the American batsmen. The USA will play two warm-up games against Bangladesh and Nepal in Grand Prairie, Dallas, before facing Canada in the opening game of the T20 World Cup on Saturday. Jones stressed the significance of these matches in finalizing the team's combination for the tournament.

Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto opted to bowl first in the third and final T20I against USA in Texas, a decision he had also made in the second game, which they lost by six runs. The series was already decided, with USA taking a 2-0 lead after their stunning wins earlier in the week.Bangladesh made two changes to their lineup, resting Jaker Ali and Shoriful Islam and bringing in Litton Das and Hasan Mahmud. USA made four changes, resting captain Monank Patel, Steven Taylor, Harmeet Singh, and Ali Khan. They were replaced by Shayan Jahangir, Nosthush Kenjige, Milind Kumar, and Nisarg Patel.Ali Khan was the hero of the last game, claiming three late wickets as Bangladesh lost their last five wickets for 14 runs in 15 balls. Harmeet Singh had starred in the first game, hitting three sixes and two fours in an unbeaten 33 off 13 balls when US needed 55 runs in the last four overs.The match began with USA winning the toss and electing to bat first. They got off to a solid start, with openers Andries Gous and Aaron Jones putting on a 50-run partnership. However, Bangladesh fought back, with Hasan Mahmud dismissing both openers in quick succession.Nitish Kumar and Corey Anderson then steadied the USA innings, putting on a 40-run partnership. But Bangladesh continued to take wickets at regular intervals, and USA eventually finished their innings on 144/9.Bangladesh's chase got off to a poor start, with Soumya Sarkar and Najmul Hossain Shanto both falling cheaply. Litton Das and Towhid Hridoy then put on a 50-run partnership, but both fell in quick succession.Mahmudullah and Shakib Al Hasan then took control of the chase, putting on a 60-run partnership. However, Mahmudullah was dismissed for 36, and Shakib followed soon after for 32.With Bangladesh needing 20 runs off the last two overs, Rishad Hossain hit a six and a four to bring the equation down to 10 runs off the last over. However, he was dismissed off the first ball of the over, and Bangladesh eventually fell short by 10 runs.

Ali Khan, the fast bowler who played a pivotal role in USA's historic T20I series win against Bangladesh, has expressed confidence in his team's ability to cause upsets at the upcoming T20 World Cup."We [USA] are hungry, and are going to try to eat whoever comes in our way," Khan declared. "This is a time where we can make some changes and adjust. Team looks balanced, and all the guys are hungry. I am sure USA will do some upset [in the T20 World Cup]."Khan, who was named Player of the Match for his 3 for 25 in the second T20I, emphasized the importance of showcasing USA's talent on the world stage. "We need to put USA out there on the world cricket map," he said. "Sometimes when you win against a big side, they say oh it is a fluke. But beating them twice, back-to-back, winning the series is not a fluke. We have the talent, skills and the ability if given the opportunities."Khan's performance in the second T20I was particularly impressive, as he dismissed experienced Bangladesh batsman Shakib Al Hasan and Tanzim Hasan in the 18th over, effectively ending Bangladesh's hopes of victory."The captain (Monank Patel) asked me to stay ready, and I stayed warmed up," Khan explained. "I knew I would be coming on to bowl the 18th and 20th over or the 17th and 19th depending on the situation. Right before I came on, we got a breakthrough and that added pressure on Bangladesh. I just backed myself and tried to do what I do best at the death."Khan's success against Shakib was a result of careful planning and execution. "The wicket got slower, and they were expecting me to bowl with pace, and that's why they threw their bats and helped me to get the inside edge with Shakib," he said. "The plan was to make them hit against the wind, which was the off side for Shakib and tried to throw the first ball away from him. He tried to drag it on and helped me get that wicket."The series win against Bangladesh has boosted the confidence of the USA team and individual players, according to Khan. "It's massive," he said. "In a series like this, individual performances count as well. As a team, just shows the world what we can do if given the opportunities. If we keep playing at this associate level or lower level, you are just going to stay there. But if you have more opportunities to play against bigger sides, top ten teams, there's definitely ways of doing an upset. More opportunities against full members will help us showcase our talent."Khan, who had gone for 1 for 49 in the first game, admitted that he needed some time to adjust to the conditions and find his rhythm. "I was coming back from a major injury and you need time in the middle to get back into rhythm," he said. "It was for me to just go out and get used to the conditions. It didn't go the way I would have liked, usually I don't go for that many runs. But it was my first game back, no excuse. What I learnt from that game, I tried to implement in this game."With the T20 World Cup approaching, Khan believes that the USA team has the potential to surprise their opponents. "The World Cup is coming up, so we don't have much time," he said. "I still feel there's a lot of improvement to be done."

Bangladesh, led by Najmul Hossain Shanto, opted to field first after winning the toss in the second T20I against USA at Prairie View in Texas on Thursday. The decision came after Bangladesh's disappointing five-wicket loss in the first game.To bolster their lineup, Bangladesh made two changes to their XI. Litton Das and Mahedi Hasan were replaced by opening batter Tanzid Hasan and medium pacer Tanzim Hasan. Meanwhile, USA, co-hosts of the upcoming T20 World Cup, brought in allrounder Shadley van Schalkwyk for left-arm spinner Nosthush Kenjige.USA's historic victory over Bangladesh on Tuesday marked their first triumph against a top-ten side in the ICC T20I team rankings. The match also saw Bangladesh concede a record-breaking 54 runs in the last four overs.Harmeet Singh played a pivotal role in USA's victory, smashing an unbeaten 33 off just 13 balls, including three sixes and two fours.

Bangladesh and the United States will engage in a three-match T20I series from May 21, providing both teams with an opportunity to fine-tune their preparations for the upcoming T20 World Cup. This series marks the first time these two nations will face off in a T20I encounter.Tuning Up for the T20 World CupThe series will serve as a valuable warm-up for both teams ahead of the T20 World Cup. Bangladesh will begin their World Cup campaign against Sri Lanka in Grand Prairie on June 7, while the USA will play their first two matches in the same venue against Canada and Pakistan.Bangladesh Batting in FocusBangladesh's batting performance against Zimbabwe earlier this month raised concerns, with Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto blaming the pitches in Chattogram and Dhaka. The team's highest score while batting first was 165, and they will be eager to improve their batting in Texas.Stuart Law's ImpactStuart Law, the former Bangladesh head coach, will be in the opposing camp as the USA head coach. Law's experience and knowledge of Bangladesh's players could prove valuable for the USA.Catching ConcernsBangladesh will also be looking to address their catching issues. They have dropped eight out of 42 chances in bilateral series against Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe this year. Improving their catching will be crucial for their success in the T20 World Cup.A Familiar FoeAlthough Bangladesh will face the USA for the first time in international cricket, they are familiar with Corey Anderson, who made his USA debut last month. Anderson's destructive batting against Bangladesh in 2015 will be a concern for the Tigers.